An Interview with Marina Elezovic (MAR)
A beautifully performed new record from MAR delivers a unique breed of honesty in the form of stories told from personal perspectives and with those stories and inner thoughts that come spilling out for all to soak in, comes plenty of character which is one of the things you end up getting attached to the most from this record.
Mixtapes is an album that holds very little back in the way of that honesty. It is written with fewer boundaries than you may be used to and released with no walls built around it, so certain songs will feel very connective, while others will tell the story for you to just listen to. Either way, this is something that pulls you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing and puts you in MAR's world, and I think that's what true artistry is about.
This is one of the most vulnerable and expressive records I've heard in a while, and it felt good to listen to it because it humanized the artist.
Something about this record makes us remember that we are human as well.
The record starts with the track called "The Sinner", and not only does it bear a lot of that inner thought, but it also boasts a little bit of struggle and strife, to an extent.
This is what I mean by connective. A lot of what she sings about is, indirectly, at times, things that we can understand or relate to.
This is a beautiful track and is pretty perfect as an introduction to the album because you're getting a lot of the staples that you're going to hear throughout the record's course.
Having said that, this is also the kind of record that has some surprises around its corners, and again, you want to soak this in as a whole. Listening to one or two tracks may give you that just or idea of what you can expect, but it will not give you the full spectrum of what the album has to offer as a whole.
You have beautifully performed guitars that feel like they border on acoustic and electric combined, robust and sort of sullen vocals that deliver a lot of authenticity in their performance, and some other instruments as well, like melodica.
I love the addition of the melodica because it adds this different layer of texture to the song, and I found that to be a little bit cinematic in a sense.
Some of these songs do indeed feel cinematic or even theatrical at times, but that's just because of that honesty that comes through almost all the time.
With honesty comes raw emotion, and that's what this record is all about. It's about not holding back and getting things off your chest, no matter how anyone receives it.
The title track, "Mixtapes", is one of my favorites because it's got some southern soul to it. There are plenty of other tracks here that have that same kind of Southern undertone, and the record has a way of creating this deepening and character-riddled atmosphere that you get engulfed by.
The thing is, it feels good to get engulfed by this album.
There's something about it that swims around in the air that surrounds you, and it feels good to fall into it and just let go.
Songs like "Just Like You", deliver some unique vocal harmonies and extra layers, a little bit more of a pop coating, but still showcase that vulnerable approach.
MAR's vocal performance is something that, at first, is intense. Throughout the records unfolding, it becomes something you want more and more of. It has a genuine tonality to it.
You listen to these songs and you know each one came from someplace real, and there's something about that factor that intensifies the record as a whole.
It also has this live performance sort of aesthetic. Like a lot of these were recorded live on the floor, and then additional dubs here and there came later.
It's got that kind of energy to it, and when you listen to the record in full, you feel like you just sat and watched a live performance. That is how one-on-one, this record actually feels.
This was a beautiful and vast sort of record that really showcases MAR's particular presence as an artist, and listening to the songs, you feel as though some or maybe even all of them might have been cathartic for her to write and release.
This record will affect you, so I suggest listening to it in full with headphones on because that's one of the best ways to soak it in.
Take a listen to this one and swim through these songs. See how this affects you.
Here is our interview with the artist.
TSWS: Hey and, thanks for taking some time with us! Let's talk a bit about the Mixtapes record!
This album was brilliantly approached with a blending of cinematic backbone and some emotional drive along with some very deep descriptions in the lyrics!! Where did this record come from?
“Mixtapes” is so far my most personal record. After obsessively listening to Bon Iver’s “For Emma” (which is still one of my favorite records) I had been inspired to create something in a very similar direction, raw and simple with each song carrying a profound personal story. “Mixtapes” is a kind of a record that holds a lot of personal questions and doubts. Most of the songs dive into issues of personal escapism and vulnerability. I also wanted to share my real life stories, as think It’s something listeners in indie music relate to.
TSWS: I am hearing some great production here! Can you give us some of your biggest
musical influences?
Bon Iver, Ben Howard, Florence And The Machine, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley.
TSWS: How did this all start for you as an artist?
I started playing guitar at the age of ten. By the age of 15 I started busking and writing my own songs. I moved to London at the age of 19 and started playing local pubs and bars, finding my own music community there.
TSWS: Was it hard to write a record like this? How long did it take?
As mentioned earlier, most of the songs were written during lockdown and some of them in pre covid and post covid time. It took me five years to make sense of it and pick the ones that felt they continued the similar way of storytelling and had the strong emotional feel to it. I had an unsuccessful attempt of recording these songs with the band during the lockdown. Unfortunately, we broke up and so that recording failed.
Coming back to London I met up with Sam Beer who helped to re record it again in more of a stripped acoustic arrangement as I wanted.
TSWS: Do you play live shows at all?
I play live shows all the time so you can catch me playing almost every month in London or elsewhere in the UK ��
TSWS: Who is in your headphones right now?
Cameron Winter, Gang Of Youths, Lorde, Kings Of Leon.
Now that this record is released, what is next for you?
Not entirely sure yet. Keep going with the shows and promotion and uhm.. keep
writing?
TSWS: What kind of advice would you have for other bands getting their music out there?
Don’t take ages to put it out there and have any kind of a specific strategy to do it. Find your own community and supportive organic audience!
TSWS: What can you say people might expect from this album?
A good cry? :-D
